130 cars hit in Fall River BB gun spree

John Moss

Monday

Dec 31, 2007 at 12:01 AM

Four people were arrested early Sunday after they allegedly went on a drive-by shooting spree with pellet guns, causing thousands of dollars in damages to parked motor vehicles throughout the city, police said.

Four people were arrested early Sunday after they allegedly went on a drive-by shooting spree with pellet guns, causing thousands of dollars in damages to parked motor vehicles throughout the city, police said.

The suspects were apprehended after a witness told police their direction of travel after his car was riddled with pellets on North Main Street.

Cherie Gagnon, 22, of 412 Dwelly St., Fall River; Kevin Couto, 20, of 196 Earle St.; Steven Guillette, 28, of 182 Durfee St.; and Jessica Ducary, 18, of 93 Hathaway St., all of New Bedford, are each charged with about 130 counts of vandalizing property and discharging a BB gun on a public way.

“They’re still coming in,” he said late Sunday afternoon, as residents eventually became aware of their vehicles being shot up.

On Sunday about 1 a.m., Bernier said, a witness called from the area of 3579 N. Main St. to report his vehicle being damaged and a description of the car involved in the shooting.

Bruce Deslauriers was walking his dog when he heard a “loud popping noise come from his vehicle,” Bernier said. Damage to his car was estimated at $500 as both windshields were broken along with side windows.

“The car sped off, but eventually turned into a parking lot of a business,” Bernier said. “The car tried to turn around and headed for the cruiser. (Digangi) activated his blue lights and the car came to a stop.”

Digangi noticed one of the four occupants appeared to be putting something under a seat, Bernier said.

When police asked the driver, Gagnon, where she and the others were coming from, they gave “evasive answers and denied any knowledge about BBs.”

The four were taken from the vehicle for the officers’ safety and a container of 1,500 BBs was found on Guillette, Bernier said.

Officer David McElroy could see a black BB handgun and a second container of BBs on the floor of the car. A black and silver-colored BB handgun was under the front passenger seat, Bernier reported.

Also found on Guillette was a receipt from a Wal-Mart in Raynham for the purchase of a CO2 pistol and 1,500 BBs on Saturday at 9:38 p.m.

No dollar estimate of the damages was immediately available from police, but Bernier pointed out that each side window on a vehicle is about $100 to replace. Front and rear windshields are about $250, but that can be higher depending on vehicle type, tinting and/or antenna.

With the damaged vehicle count at about 130, the minimum $100 cost would mean at least $13,000 in damages.

Major Crimes Division detectives are continuing to investigate the vandalisms.